Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Maintaining finances in tough times....

I found this article on maintaining finances during stressful times in life and it touched me. I'm not sure why but the fact that my stepfather has early stage dementia probably has something to do with it. I think Mom is still in shock over the diagnosis and my stepdad is dealing with fear of the unknown.

Fortunately, they make good money but I'm not sure how much, if any, they've saved. I know that they've been paying on and not using credit cards for awhile and are faithful about paying bills on time. But I also know that they plan to quit their jobs in December of this year, with the intention of traveling awhile. Honestly, I'm concerned about their finances but don't know how to ask them about it. I mean, I can't just say, "So, how much debt do y'all have?" Well, not without starting a fight, anyway!

At any rate, the above mentioned article caught my eye and I recommend it to all. The author's recounting of her mother's death, her father's handling of finances, and how the benefits were reaped during a very difficult time of life should be a lesson to the rest of us. We really don't know what the future holds and financial preparation is not just for our benefit but for that of those left behind.

No comments: